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"God, you’re a catch," she says dryly, taking the glass fro it with another

I sip this one "Jack? Even with the Coke, it’s all I can taste This is a soft pass for uess: drunk, bad-decision sex followed by an epic hangover?"

For once, I wish that were the case

"No, just a lot of associations" Mia, I don’t say The first night we ever got drunk, it was on Jack and Cokes When I open etically, I can already see that she’s read er er, do they?"

"You’d be surprised Okay, close your eyes again" I do what she tells ht when her hand accidentally brushes h customer" London places another drink in e-flavored booze Vodka, ar "Way too sweet Worse than the amaretto sour"

She hands me another and when she speaks, her voice is confident, if a little distracted "Okay, okay, sorry, that one was a joke Tilass and take a sip It’s sue, heavy and viscous, tart with liimlet"

I open my eyes and look at her She’s already cleared away the other drinks and is watching lazed look on her face When she realizes my eyes are open, she blinks away

"Belvedere and li a towel over the bar in front ofo take the order of a couple who just sat down

It’s impossible for me to not watch her while she works London approaches the couple with a smile--that wide-open one that makes my heart kick at my breastbone--and as she tosses two coasters down, I can see she’s already h It’s oddly hot to watch her pour fro Once or twice she glancesat her, and instinct tellsthe gaht of her shoulder, but I just can’tfascinated with the way she looks tonight, hair up in aher red lipstick, black off-the-shoulder shirt, and cutoff short-shorts doing dangerous things toshe can’t stand to leave outside any back over to , exasperated look on her face

"Do you need a buddy or what?"

Instead of answering this, I ask her, "How did you know?"

"How did I know you need a buddy? You look totally patheti--"

"No," I interrupt quietly "I mean, how did you know that the last one would be ure those things out"

This feels like an evasion--the truth feelsanother sip "I’ives me my favorite smile, the one that feels like it’s been tailored just for me "Careful, now Don’t let your true colors show"

I feel entle she puts it, noto be e of ?"

She looks a little guilty when she straightens again, and turns away Shit My words came out sharper than I meant them to, and now I seeo," I say, rubbing lasses beneath the bar "I can’t go far I work here, goose"

"I just want to be your friend," I say